


Some Say Love Is Everything (And Some Say They Don't Know)

by TwistedIllusions



Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Best boyfriend Dave Katz, Dave & Klaus Hargreeves During Vietnam, Dave shows Klaus what love means, Fluff, Klaus Hargreeves Deserves Love, Klaus Hargreeves Gets Love, Klaus finally gets what he deserves, Love, M/M, date, no beta we die like ben
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-01
Updated: 2020-05-01
Packaged: 2021-03-01 21:01:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,389
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23953507
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TwistedIllusions/pseuds/TwistedIllusions
Summary: In all of the years he'd been forced to endure his pitiful life on this planet, Klaus had never been fortunate enough to know what love was - that was until Dave showed him what it truly meant to be loved, and to bein love, and experience it all first hand in the most beautifully romantic of ways.
Relationships: Dave/Klaus Hargreeves
Comments: 34
Kudos: 123





	Some Say Love Is Everything (And Some Say They Don't Know)

**Author's Note:**

> Surprise! Here's a little treat I planned months ago and kind of forgot about/put on the back burner to write What I Never Knew I Always Wanted. Ya'll, this is about as fluffy as my dark soul will get, so I really hope you enjoy this! It's pretty cute, if you can get passed all of the errors I'm sure it contains. Haha
> 
> If you do enjoy this, _please_ , let me know in the comments!!! I would absolutely love to know your opinions on this little lovey-dovey piece! I'm quite proud of it! I hope you enjoy it, too!
> 
> Also, thank you to Hujwernoo for giving me the title name way back when I first decided to write this! I appreciate your help!
> 
> Please, enjoy!! :)

It was late; well past curfew for the Sky Soldier’s of the 173rd Airborne Brigade. The servicemen were all tucked in for the night after a long treacherous day of transporting ammunition from Okinawa to their new base at Camp Eagle, settled just south east of Hue in central Vietnam. Their body’s were tired and eagerly greeted their worn out mattresses of their rickety old cots. Klaus had just barely succumbed to sleep when a set of hands gently shook his shoulders in an attempt to rouse him back to consciousness.

“Hmm..quit, m’tired,” he mumbled against his pillow, burying his face deeper against the minimal cushion it provided for his head. 

“Come on, wake up,” Klaus groaned, swatting his ‘Good Bye’ hand at the person who wouldn’t allow him to sleep, “Klaus, open your eyes, come on.”

“Dave?” Klaus lifted his weary head from his pillow, his voice was thick with sleep and his hair was a tousled disarray atop his head, “what are you doing? It’s gotta be like, _fuck_ , at least midnight.”

“Shh, it’s closer to one-thirty,” Dave whispered as he ran his palm gently over the exhausted man’s shoulder, “Now come on, get up, follow me.”

Klaus stifled a groan as he pulled his thin sheet over his head. He was tired, he’d just busted his ass all day in the unrelenting heat lifting and carrying heavy artillery back and forth from one truck to another. Dave had been lucky enough to weasel his way out of the job and was able to conserve his energy. Good for him, really, but Klaus just wanted to _sleep_.

“Mm come back tomorrow when I’m awake. M’so tired,” he groggily mumbled into his pillow allowing his eyes to drift back closed. Dave couldn’t help but to allow his lips to tug into a crooked grin as he rolled his eyes. He just thought Klaus was so cute when he was sleepy like this, but he had something special he wanted to show him, and couldn’t let him just sleep through it. 

“Aw, where’s the spontaneity in that? Come on, ya big baby, please wake up,” he laid his palm flat against Klaus’s back and delicately rubbed his tense muscles in a figure-eight pattern. 

Klaus sighed, allowing his stiff body to relax against his gentle touch, “Mm, that feels nice.”

“Yeah?” Dave leaned down pressing his lips against the curls that framed his boyfriend's ear, “There’s plenty more where that came from, but you’ve gotta wake up.” Dave whispered as he pulled the blanket off of Klaus’s prone form. Klaus whimpered dramatically, pulling his limbs against his body as he shot Dave an exaggerated glare.

“Not cool, Katz,” he sat up on his cot and stretched his tired limbs with a yawn, “Can’t a man catch up on his beauty sleep?” he whispered before puffing his cheeks out in a pout. Dave exhaled a quiet giggle through his nose as he leaned forward and cupped Klaus’s chin with his thumb and forefinger.

“You don’t need any more beauty sleep, jitterbug, you’re already beautiful.” Klaus’s lips quirked into a subtle smile at Dave’s words - how could that man be so perfect? Dave grinned and pressed his lips to Klaus’s in a quick kiss before taking his hand within his own. He held his free hand up and pressed his forefinger to his lips in a silent request to stay quiet. Klaus rolled his eyes before finally wiggling off of his cot and standing up.

“Fine, Mr.Persistent, since this is so important and can’t wait until the morning, let's just go.”

Dave kept Klaus’s hand within his own as the two men quietly snuck out of their sleeping quarters, carefully as to not to wake their slumbering comrades and alert them to their mischievous activities. Once outside, Dave paused minutely to pull Klaus into his arms, cupping his cheek within his palm and running his thumb softly over the ivory skin that stretched over his cheekbone. Klaus smiled as he leaned into his touch, their eyes meeting in a fleeting moment of adoration. 

“God, you’re beautiful,” Dave noted as he admired the way the moonlight made Klaus’s skin almost glow against the stark contrast of the shadows of the night that surrounded them. He pressed his lips against Klaus’s forehead, and Klaus closed his eyes simply savoring his boyfriend’s loving, gentle touch. “Come on, I have something I want to show you.”

Dave intertwined his fingers between Klaus’s again and gently tugged him along the beaten path behind him towards the important surprise he’d been longing to share with Klaus all day. While Klaus worked with the rest of their Battalion loading ammunition, Dave had been lucky enough to be granted special permission to sneak off base for a special private task, and he couldn’t wait to share the fruits of his labor from his day with his boyfriend. Klaus stomped tiredly down the path, his boots kicking gravel and dirt as his pace started to slow down.

“Can’t this just wait until the morning? I’m _tiiired_ …” Klaus grumbled before he stopped stock still in his tracks.

“No, come on, this is important, I have something I want to show you--”

“Well, spit it out then, what is _‘so important’_ about this that it can’t wait until I’m fully awake and functioning at my optimal capabilities, David, _hmm?_ ” Klaus whined.

“I’m not just going to _tell_ you, Doll, it’s a surprise. Now, shush, and follow me, just try to keep up,” 

“Ugh, _fiiine_ …”

After what felt like had to have been comparable to trekking upwards of a million miles in the dense brush of the Vietnam jungle to the two soldiers (when in reality, it was only _maybe_ one kilometer in distance) the couple finally stumbled into a clearing. Klaus exhaled a sigh of relief when he realized they were still on base at least, so they shouldn’t be within the line of any enemy fire - or so he hoped, anyways. Klaus couldn’t help but wonder what on earth was so important about this place, though? It was far enough away from their sleeping quarters that no one back in the barracks would hear them if they-- _ohhh_ , now it was starting to make sense.

Dave pulled a sweat dampened matchbox out of his pocket. He peeled open the worn, crinkled container and cursed Vietnam for their inexorable humidity and heat before saying a silent prayer as he struck a match, hoping it would ignite despite the poor conditions surrounding them. Pleased with himself when the flame took, he couldn’t help but to smile. Dave held the smoldering match stick inside of an oil lantern to help illuminate their surroundings, “Well, what do you think?” he asked as he gestured around themselves before he used the flame within the lantern to light some candle sticks to further set the ambiance.

“Oh, wow,” Klaus stopped in his tracks, eyes wide and jaw slack as his eyebrows reached towards the starry night sky. His eyelashes fluttered while he allowed himself to finally absorb and take in the dimly lit area that Dave had quite literally dragged him nearly kicking and screaming out to. Now that he was seeing what he’d been brought there for, he was glad that Dave pushed him through his complaining, and he allowed himself to cave into his overpowering will. Klaus wasn’t sure how, but Dave had somehow managed to scrounge up quite a quaint little romantic setting for a candlelit picnic. There was a worn, army green tarp laid out atop the grassy knoll with a picnic basket that was overflowing with food - _real food_ \- not the shitty military rations he had unfortunately grown rather accustomed to over the last couple of months since he’d been quite unceremoniously plopped into this hellscape. “How did you manage to do all of this?”

“Oh, you know, I have my ways.”

Klaus scoffed, “Well, if you keep this up you may have your way with _me_ later,” he joked as he wiggled his eyebrows at his boyfriend. 

Dave exhaled a soft chuckle as he wrapped his arms around Klaus’s waist and pulled him into a hug before pressing his lips against his forehead in a delicate kiss, “I could only be so lucky, doll.”

Dave took Klaus’s hand within his own and popped a squat on the mat, while smoothly helping to coax Klaus to sit down beside him. Dave worked diligently on opening the picnic basket to begin divvying out their meal, but he paused when he couldn’t help but to notice the way that Klaus was looking at him. Even with their only ambient lighting coming from the dull flicker of candlelight and the subtle radiance cast by the stars and moonlight, Dave saw the coy smile that was tugging against his boyfriends lips, and the deepening red hue against his cheeks. Their eyes met and Klaus averted his gaze, his eyes instead focusing on his hands as he anxiously fiddled with a frayed edge on the tarp beneath them.

“What is it, dove?” Dave asked before reaching to stroke his fingers through Klaus’s disheveled sleep worn curls. 

“Nothing, I’m just,” he paused to suck in a breath. Klaus rolled his shoulders back and closed his eyes briefly before his green gaze finally met his boyfriend’s curious blues, “not used to this, is all.” 

“Not used to what, to _this?_ ” Dave asked curiously. He quirked an eyebrow as he gestured around to their romantic candlelight display. 

Klaus bobbed his head in a nod, “Well, yeah. It’s just...this is so sweet, and so much different than anything I’ve ever experienced before,” he started while he looked down at his hands in his lap and absentmindedly traced his thumb casually over the letters of his ‘Hello’ tattoo etched within the skin of his palm. “I’m not used to being treated this way, with respect or kindness, or anything even remotely similar...it’s just...I’m just not used to it, that's all.” he repeated.

Dave smiled sadly at Klaus, an expression he wore all too well. He didn’t appreciate the familiarity of it against his features. He unfortunately was well aware of Klaus’s past relationships; thankfully - or perhaps, _not_ thankfully - Klaus wasn’t shy about discussing in horrifyingly vivid detail all of the horrors he’d been forced to endure in his lifetime. Dave knew about his drug and alcohol abuse, as well as all of the sex he’d partaken in. Not sex for pleasure, mind you, but for money, or drugs, or a bed to sleep in to avoid the elements. He was well acquainted with the hardships and unfair lifestyle Klaus had lived his entire life up until this point, but Dave had his heart set on ensuring that he would never have to experience anything like that ever again. He was determined to prove to Klaus that a kind hand, and a caring heart really did exist, and he was ready to show Klaus just how deserving of being loved he truly was. 

With a warm grin blessing his handsome features, Dave inched himself closer to Klaus and cupped his cheek perfectly into the warmth of his palm, “Well, doll, I’m just going to have to show you what a _real_ date is all about, then.”

“Oh,” Klaus began as he gazed longingly into Dave’s ocean blue eyes, “you’ll have to explain this to me in great detail, then, so I can understand,”

“Alright,” Dave started, “well, first, if we were home, back in the states, and not stuck in this wasteland, usually we would meet up, you know, sneak out all secretly,” he said before gently pressing a tender kiss to Klaus’s forehead. “Then, we might sit down and enjoy a meal, or maybe just dessert - you like chocolate, don’t you, dove?” Klaus’s lips tugged into a bashful grin when Dave kissed his eyelid.

“Then, on a fine night such as this we could hold hands and gaze up at the stars together; although, I’d much rather gaze into your eyes,” with a touch as light as a feather, Dave pushed the curls out of Klaus’s eyes and tucked them behind his ear. He softly fanned Klaus’s long eyelashes with the pad of his thumb as his sight tracked from one of Klaus’s eyes to the other, “Ah, yes, _much_ more beautiful than any old star.” Klaus could feel the warmth in his cheeks as Dave kissed his other eyelid.

“Then, we could lay in the grass,” Dave gently pushed his fingers through Klaus’s curls, causing goosebumps to prickle the surface of his boyfriend's pale skin before he trailed his fingertips gently over the exposed skin on his shoulders. He leaned forward, and his hot breath danced across Klaus’s neck as his lips paved a tender path of kiss after kiss against his neck and jawline. “Then, I think we could get creative - you know, use a little imagination.” he finished. Dave rested his rough and calloused hands on Klaus’s waist. With the touch of an Angel, he pulled Klaus onto his lap and laced his fingers into the curls at the nape of his neck as their lips finally met for a long awaited kiss. 

“Mm,” Klaus hummed into the kiss before pulling apart just enough to speak, “oh, is that how this works?” he pecked his lips softly before nuzzling his nose to Dave’s, “tell me more, what’s next?”

Klaus exhaled a soft giggle as Dave trailed his mouth down to his neck, successfully peppering his supple flesh with more tender kisses. “Well, we might talk,” he kissed Klaus’s collarbone while he massaged the muscles at the back of his love’s neck, “you know, get better acquainted with each other,”

Klaus hummed while he wrapped his arms around Dave’s neck. His eyes fluttered closed as his lips quirked into a playful smile, “Hmm, but we already know each other so well,”

Dave exhaled a laugh against Klaus’s neck before he delicately placed another kiss there, “That’s true. Well, we could always kiss.” He kissed a trail up Klaus’s neck, peppering his jaw, and his cheek until their lips finally met. 

Klaus smiled into the kiss, “Hm, yeah, I like all of this so far. Go on, what’s next?” Dave didn’t answer him, instead he just continued to kiss Klaus, simply enjoying this moment of pure, innocent love. Klaus let his hands wander over Dave’s perfect physique; relishing in the sensation of his chiseled muscles rippling beneath his threadbare army green shirt. His fingertips danced over his pectoral muscles, before trailing gently over his abs, until finally settling on his waist. Klaus picked up speed as he deepened their kiss, positioning himself so that he was now straddling Dave’s lap while his hands began to fidget with the hem of Dave’s pants as he tried desperately to undo his belt. He moaned hotly into Dave’s mouth. 

Dave hummed before breaking their kiss, “Wait, what are you doing, doll?”

Klaus paused what he was doing as he heaved to catch his breath, “What do you mean? Isn’t this what you want? What’s next? We kiss, then we—“

Dave shook his head as he pulled further away, “No, not this time darlin,” he allowed his body to relax as he cupped Klaus’s cheek in his palm. “This time we are doing things _right_ , we’re taking things slow—“

“ _Slow?_ ” Dave’s heart sank at the genuine confusion behind his boyfriend’s tone. He couldn’t hide his concern for his love, it pained him to realize that Klaus truly had never been given this type of opportunity before; to not be forced into sex—to just be loved properly, _for once_. His lips tugged into a saddened smile as he pulled Klaus’s hands into his own. Dave kissed each of Klaus’s knuckles, and both of his palms, before kissing the back of each of his hands. He held him there, rubbing his thumbs softly over the delicate skin on the back of his boyfriend’s hands as he gazed into Klaus’s glimmering emerald green eyes.

“Yes, slow. We are in no rush, I’m not going anywhere, you’re not going anywhere. We have our whole lives ahead of us, jitterbug. Let me show you what being loved is really all about.”

“Being _loved?_ ” Klaus asked softly as his eyebrows furrowed in confusion. This was a foreign concept to him, but dammit, if he didn’t want to learn more. 

Dave smiled softly and kissed Klaus’s nose, then his cheek before he pulled him back into his lap. He wrapped his arms around his boyfriend in a tight embrace before pressing his lips against his ear in a light kiss before he whispered, “Yes, you deserve this. Let me love you, dove.”

Klaus just smiled and huddled himself closer against the warmth of Dave’s chest as the perfect specimen of a man showed him exactly what love, and being loved was truly all about. Dave continued to cradle him in his lap as the two men enjoyed their meal, even finishing with Dave feeding Klaus chocolate covered strawberries that he’d managed to smuggle back onto base. Klaus laughed when the chocolate dribbled down his chin and Dave wiped it away with his thumb before licking the remnants off his own skin. They stayed like that for hours; enjoying their romantic picnic, laughing at each other's corny jokes, and just enjoying each other’s company. 

Klaus yawned, his eyelashes fluttering to try to fight off the heavyset fatigue that was quickly beginning to settle in after a hard day, and a long and wonderful night. He was tired, but he didn’t want this beautifully perfect date-night with his boyfriend to end. Dave noticed as Klaus’s energy began to fade and slowly eased him down so that his head was resting on his lap. He smiled down at his boyfriend as he gently stroked his fingers through Klaus’s curls, massaging his scalp to help further ease him into relaxation. 

“Tired, dove?” he whispered softly as he rested his fingertips just at the base of each of his ears. Klaus opened his eyes after realizing they’d drifted closed. They fluttered when they just felt so heavy. Even though he was exhausted, Klaus couldn't help but to smile. He was just so, incredibly _happy_.

Klaus hummed as he responded, “Hm, maybe just a little,” 

Dave leaned forward to plant a kiss against his forehead, and Klaus allowed his eyes to drift closed at the sensation of his tender touch before he forced himself to pry them back open, simply unwilling for this perfect night to end just yet. He gazed up at Dave, their eyes meeting in twilight. Klaus’s breath was taken away at the sight of Dave, he couldn't believe how stunningly beautiful his boyfriend was. His eyes were breathtaking, and the way that the stars and moon lit up the sky behind him framed him in a beautiful halo of light. The warm flickering glow of fireflies danced in the air around him, casting them in a fairy light-like glow. Klaus felt his chest fill with warmth at the sheer sight of him, and the overwhelming emotions he was feeling. Dave had shown him what love truly was, and he couldn’t help but to feel completely taken aback by this beautiful moment. This entire night had truly been like their own, private fairytale--just he and Dave, in their own personal paradise.

Dave’s own smile broadened with a warm adoration as he watched Klaus’s eyes begin to grow heavier, he could see that he was losing his battle against sleep. He laid down, curling himself around Klaus who nuzzled his nose against Dave’s broad chest. They wrapped their arms around each other, enveloping one another in a warm embrace. Klaus settled himself tighter against Dave’s chest, his forehead resting against his skin. With what little bit of energy he struggled to possess, Klaus tilted his head up to peer into Dave’s eyes, and he _smiled_.

“I love you, Dave,” Dave smiled, cupping Klaus’s cheek in his palm before he pressed his lips to his forehead, then his nose, and finally his lips.

“I love you, jitterbug. Now, get some rest.” Klaus curled up within Dave’s loving arms and the two soldiers fell asleep together, covered by a blanket of stars.

**Author's Note:**

> Good God they're so soft!!! I love these two, please give us sweet, tender moments like these in S2!!! Give Klaus what he deserves, let him be happy gosh darnit!!! LOL
> 
> Thank you guys for reading, again, I live for validation, so please leave a comment if you liked this!! Thank you so much, stay safe out there, and have a great day!! :)


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